Acumen
by TheBlackBand
Summary: A drabble/one-shot series between my OTP, Sasuke x fem!Harry
1. Chapter 1

**Warnings:**

\- This is a drabble series, so there will be no set plotline

\- This story will have the occasional crossover from other anime, but a majority of it will be HarryPotterxNaruto

\- This story will be very cheesy, bc I love happy endings.

\- Chapters in the future might not have any reference to others; changes and AUs will either be stated directly or discussed throughout the chapter.

\- There will be many mistakes; I am currently typing on the iPad.

\- It is currently 1 am where I live, so I have no idea what I am typing.

* * *

 _ **1\. Yule Ball**_

Repetitive crunching of snow under black boots made a sort of timer in her head, constantly counting down _1, 2, 1, 2_. Harriet grew annoyed and the tightening in her heart grew worse, so she sped up,

 _1212._

Blurs of white sped past as the images of the winter wonderland were ignored. Not even the purity of the snow flaked roofs and the white sky and the white grounds gave her any form of comfort.

Tugging down the scarlet and gold scarf slightly, she let out a shaky, visible, white puff of air that disappeared the second she pulled her scarf back over her mouth.

The air was cold and biting, running like nails past her long, dark hair and like pinpricks through all the visible pores of her face. Her nose was saved from being excessively pink from the warm protection of her scarf, but the tips of her ears weren't as lucky.

 _"Ah, I'm really flattered; Harriet, but I already asked Cho out to the ball." Cedric said, his model-like smile faltering just a bit as he took in her pink, embarrassed face. "I-I'm really sorry-!"_

 _"No!" Harriet yelled, holding her hands out, consciously willing herself not to cry right now and to stop being so red. She was a Gryffindor for Merlin's sake! "D-don't apologize! Y-you don't have to be! It's my fault for waiting so long to ask someone out to the ball, and you were just…"_

 _She didn't bother finishing her statement as she turned around then and ran off._

Silently, Harriet — no — Harry, she was Harry to all friends and family. Harriet, while it was the name her dear parents gave her, was too much of a mouthful, and sounded like the name of a cranky old lady.

Anyway, she berated herself for letting her hopes go up like this, for rejecting all of the past classmates because she thought that she had a chance to go to the Yule Ball with Cedric Diggory of all people.

Okay, she survived the Killing Curse as a baby, she had found the Philosopher's stone, she killed a Basilisk.

And while she wouldn't have done those feats with the help of her friends and parents, Harry hoped that just once life would go her way, and she would be happy. She would spend two hours doing her hair and makeup with the rest of the Gryffindor girls. They would laugh and gossip like any other normal teenager, but alas, Harriet Potter was anything but normal.

The Yule Ball was in less than 48 hours and she was still without a date.

People who have previously asked her out had all gotten dates.

And she was left.

Forever alone-

She was broken out of herself anguish when a loud _boom!_ resounded through the courtyard. She looked up past her bangs and squinted to see two figures: one blond, one brunette and even allowed a small smile to get past her stinging eyes and clenching heart.

'I know that laugh from anywhere,' she thought. And while life wasn't going her way right now, it was worth a shot, right?

"Naruto!" she yelled, running across the snowy grass to meet up with said person. Naruto instantly brightened up the moment his sky blue eyes met with her running figure, and he lifted up a hand to wave back, laughing as he did so.

Sasuke, the other figure, on the other hand, was anything but happy. The loud boom from earlier was because of the Dope pushing him into the tree and all of the snow that collected on top of the bare branches fell down on the Uchiha. Naruto was spared, he jumped out of the way before the snow could even touch a single hair on his annoying head. And the Idiot even had the nerve to stand there and laugh, as he clutched his stomach-

"Naruto!" a voice cried out, and Sasuke was snapped out of his thoughts. She looked like she was in pure misery, but Sasuke couldn't say that he wasn't glad to see her. Her wild black hair went well with her black, double breasted coat and grey jeans. Black rider boots went to the very middle of her knees, which was probably considering the fact that she was so short.

Anyway, she was a sight for sore eyes compared to Naruto's deep orange jacket, that clashed horribly with the Dope's white and peppermint green striped scarf.

"Can you please go to the Yule Ball with me?" she added next, pressing her palms together in a pleading way as she sent those endearing emerald eyes up at him. Naruto laughed sheepishly, scratching the back of his head.

"Aw, I'd love to, but I already asked Sakura!"

"Aw," Harry pouted slightly, but didn't look or feel dejected. Although, her cheeks puffed up just a bit and she half-heartedly kicked the snow under her, "It's alright, I'm just strapped for a date right now. And I know how long you've been chasing Sakura."

"Ehh! Wait!" Naruto pointed at her dramatically, causing Sasuke, now snow free, (probably burned it all off with the flames of his angst) to roll his eyes. "The ball's in two days and you still don't have a date?!"

She shook her head shyly.

"I-I asked Cedric, but he was already going with someone else-"

"What about Kiba, or-or Gaara? Shikamaru?" Naruto pestered next.

"Kiba asked me, but he's going with Hinata, from Hufflepuff, now, and I heard Garra was going with a Ravenclaw, a girl from the year before us. And from what Shikamaru said, he plans to 'sleep the night away,'"

"And Ron?" with every question Naruto leaned closer and closer.

Harry shook her head more fiercely this time, "No...We've already established that I would feel more comfortable taking Hermione as my date, so he's taking Parvati."

"And you're a champion so you have to have a date, dattebayo!"

Harry nodded, sighing to herself, and averted her eyes to the side, "Tell me about it."

All of a sudden Naruto leaned real close, nudging the girl's bicep with his elbow, even if he was bending down just slightly, and held up a hand, as if to tell her a secret.

His eyes narrowed with mischief, and his smile was pulled wide and tight, looking as fox-like as ever. She bet that if he had a tail, and some ears, it would be wagging and twitching by now.

"Ne, ne, do you know who doesn't have a date, 'ttebayo? Hmm?"

"Huh?" Harry's head snapped up, has Merlin finally answered her calls? At this point, she was desperate enough to take the Giant Squid as her date.

Naruto turned his body slightly, allowing Harry full view of Sasuke standing several meters away from them, chin up and arms crossed.

She wondered why he hadn't already left, but he looked like he wasn't trying very hard not to eavesdrop, from the way his eyebrows were twitching in annoyance.

"Sasuke-teme doesn't have a daaattteee~" Naruto sang. Harry tilted her head.

"Huh? Really?" she leaned into the conversation.

While she and Sasuke didn't exactly get along, half it had to do with the fact that he was completely and utterly Slytherin, another half had to be because he had a personality that would rival a Blast-Ended Skrewt's. Harry had to admit that he was extremely and completely handsome. She thought he would have girls lining up to go to the ball with him by now.

Fights that girls had over him in the first year, and Lockheart's dwarves that followed him on Valentine's Day in the second year furthered the distance between them.

If it wasn't for the fact that Naruto, a fourth-year Gryffindor, was extremely good friend of Harry's and Sasuke's best friend, they would have never had a single civil conversation.

They had infact, two single civil conversations with each other.

He teased her, and taunted her, and always brought her down with rude comments on the Slytherin side of the classroom whenever she messed up her spells.

Resulting in her stubborn self making a loud sarcastic comment as well. (It usually had to do with the fact that his hair was like a hippogriff's butt, but that would be an insult to hippogriffs.)

"Sasuke," she meekly spoke up, "Would you like to go to the ball with me?" This was it, she was the definition of desperate.

"Hn," was all he said, and she would've needed clarification if it weren't for Naruto jumping up with his fist in the air.

He let out a loud 'Woot!' that rang throughout the quiet courtyard, and quickly closed the distance between him and Sasuke, a malicious look on his face, causing Sasuke to give a wary one of his own.

"T-this is great! Your hardass finally got a date, bastard! And you said 'yes!' Come on! We have to get your robes, and-and — Sasuke-teme got a date!" he repeated, as if he couldn't believe it, Naruto was struck in awe, an arm slung around Sasuke, and with that, he dragged the Uchiha away.

ϟ

After she went back to the Gryffindor tower, she was automatically interrogated by her best friends. Words like:

"Did you finally get space to think?"

"Did you get a date?"

She had replied with a shy nod pushed the red and gold scarf over her flaming cheeks.

"Well, who is it?" they asked together in perfect sync. Causing the two to turn to each other, glare at one another and then turn back to Harriet with the same fierce look.

"Sasuke Uchiha, you know, the one from Slytherin."

"Sasuke Uchiha?!"

"Bloody hell! Was the giant squid taken?" Ron asked, aghast. Hermione took one look at her dejected friend's face and harshly nudged Ron in the stomach.

"Ow! What the blo-!"

Hermione cut him off with a glare as she mouthed, 'You're making her feel worse!'

Ron looked at the ground and scratched the back of his head. For some reason, he found the red and gold carpet more interesting.

"What's this I hear? Little Harrykins has finally got a date? The most unattainable woman in the world? And with who? The duckbutt from Slytherin no less!" two twin voices chimed, jumping in and automatically looping arms with Harry.

She yelped at the sudden touch, and then realized how quiet it had gotten in the common room. Girls of all years glared at her as if she caused the Dark Lord to come back.

"Shit," Ron cussed, "Fangirls." He whimpered in slight fear, looking around the room as if he was surrounded by Death Eaters.

Hermione gave her a look of pure pity and gently touched Harry's arm, "Well, it could be worse...You could've gone on a date with Malfoy."

Harry took one more look around the room and grimaced, "Yeah…" The killer intent was thick in the room, and just as tense as it was when she was announced a champion, "Much worse."

ϟ

Harriet stood awkwardly with her back against the marble wall. All around her, couples, friends, etc. were meeting up, talking and laughing, letting her live the wallflower life she desperately wished for. People around her were dressed their very best in their own dress robes and dresses. And the insistent chatter around her didn't help with the feeling in her chest.

Ron stood beside her, looking just as awkward as she felt in his overly formal, overly traditional, frilly dress robes.

All in all, at least she was grateful for his presence, for the time being anyway. They would soon have to separate and go with their respective dates, and Harry was already dreading the thought.

She changed her mind, Harriet thought, looking at the marble floors instead of seeking out her date. She would rather go with Ron, her brother in arms and have a night full of toe-stepping and awkward feelings; she knew that Ron felt the same way about her, and going to a ball with a sibling would be something only the Weasley twins would be able to pull off.

But they would also spend the night overcoming those awkward feelings and end up laughing, smiling, and making offish comments about their enemies. If everything went well, they would've snuck off to the kitchens and grabbed unlimited snacks from Dobby.

Oh yeah, she was really regretting-

"Oi," a voice snapped, and it was the exact voice Harriet feared, the voice she was mentally preparing herself for hours ago. Her head snapped up and she turned her head to the source, looking with wide eyes. Sasuke Uchiha stood there, and unimpressed look on his face. She turned to Ron to say that she would see him again at the Great Hall, but he was already being dragged away by Parvati. He gave her one of his sorry, sympathetic smiles, the kind with the slight head tilt and the quirk of his lips.

Harriet tried to return it with a brighter smile of her own. Ron quickly lifted up his fist and they gave each other a half-hearted fist bump before turning to their respective dates.

Once she fully turned towards Sasuke, he gave her a once over, taking in the way she did her hair and makeup, and then her dress. Once he was done, he clicked his tongue and turned his head away, simply holding out his arm to loop hers in.

'Well, hello to you too,' she grudgingly thought, but tried not to allow it to show through her bodily behavior. Then she paused, he was still looking away, 'I don't look that bad, do I?'

ϟ

Aside from the fact that her date didn't say a single word the entire commute from the front of the Gryffindor tower, to the hallway leading to the Great Hall, everything was going smoother than Harriet originally thought it would. No half-handed comments, no strange looks, etc. If the entire night went by like this, she might have thought that it would be bearable.

At least, until she stopped in front of the Great Hall. And somehow, some way, her eyes automatically met with Cedric's. It didn't help that her placement as a champion, was in the spot directly behind him, also, because they were lined up, she couldn't move away. Quickly, she looked away, a motion that didn't go unnoticed by Sasuke. She was about to tell him off for glaring that the Hufflepuff and making it way too obvious that all attention was on Diggory. She stood back up to full height, because, let's face it, she's short as hell compared to Sasuke, but then she saw Cho Chang.

The older girl had her hair done up in a bun and wore a Chinese-influenced dress. All in all, she looked lovely. Much better than myself, Harriet thought, unconsciously tugging at her black hair that took forever to tame, and even then, she decided that they should fall in messy curls. And while Harry's plain emerald green dress was picked specifically because it brought out her eyes, Cho's was still much prettier, much more elaborate.

Harry felt as if she were to sit down and stare at the dress for hours, she still wouldn't be able to pick up all of the details.

It made sense…

"Why he chose her…" Harry whispered quietly to herself. Another loud click of the tongue rang through her ears, and she looked up at Sasuke again.

"Stop moping, you look like you're about to cry," he said quietly, bluntly. Ah, there it was, the comments- "You look stupid when you compare yourself to other people. You're fine the way you are."

Wait, was that-?

Trumpets and horns sounded, cutting her off, and from the look of the clock, it was exactly eight o'clock.

The Yule Ball's starting.

They moved in time inside the Great Hall, and her heart was pumping too hard for her to notice the clapping and the decorations. Her head was slightly dizzy, and the band of her shoes were digging just a bit too much in. Oh dear, she felt like she was going to throw up. She wasn't ready for a dance-!

"I'm going to put my hand on your waist," a low, slightly raspy spoke in her ear. Emerald orbs widened, as she looked up at her date, who had to bend down slightly to whisper in her ear.

"What-?"

"Just follow my lead," and the conversation ended there. The room seemed to inhale, and exhale when the first note was played.

ϟ

Harriet was a terrible dancer.

There was not even an exaggeration in that statement.

While the others seemed to be flowing with one another, gracefully accepting the next moves and knew exactly what the next steps were. They were just together in the dance.

They were one.

On the other hand, Harry's and Sasuke's dance was best described as twitchy and jerky.

Sure, he knew the moves, and he seemed to be able to carry her and twirl her with ease. He was able to easily lift her up and spin her around.

But the problems came when she had to have a part in the dance. This was, of course, half the time.

She wasn't accepting to his touches, but accepted the minimal amount, like looping her hand with his when he was able to place another hand on her waist. She didn't know the steps, and more than once, she stepped on his foot, forcing him to pause slightly and flinch, further ruining the rhythm of the dance. She wasn't comfortable and leaning into him like the other girls, she kept their distance.

She wasn't smooth, and she didn't flow freely, and she wasn't comfortable with her date.

The scowl on his face made it apparent that he wasn't happy with his situation either.

The loud cheers from Naruto in the background didn't help either.

The dance had ended, and she was automatically pulled away to an empty table, watching as other couples began to fill up other tables. Hermione looked past Viktor Krum's shoulder and gave her a small smile, which Harry wearily returned.

Sasuke removed his black dress shoe with a grunt the moment his end met with the chair, and began to press on his sock-covered toes. Harriet winced again, she stepped on his toes more times than she could count on one hand.

"Sasuke, the champion's table-"

"Tch, I don't care about that. Just let me rest right now. My feet hurt," he snapped.

The silence rang between them before she decided to speak up.

"I'm sorry," she said sincerely.

"Stop apologizing. Your moping is annoying."

She shut up after that. Sasuke huffed once more, at what, she didn't know. He twisted his body to grab one of the menus laid out of the table and flipped it open.

"Sake," he spoke out in the open, clear and demanding.

A small glass filled with mostly clear liquid appeared on the plate beside them.

"Is that...alcohol?" she asked wearily. It obviously was, but she needed clarification. The shine was somehow different from water, baby oil would be the best comparison to the look. "Isn't there a spell stopping you from drinking that?"

"They wouldn't know what sake is, it's Japanese," he answered simply, taking a shot. Her eyebrow rose in questioning. The glass refilled itself and he took another.

Then she focused on the last part.

It was obvious that he was Japanese, it was apparent from his features to his name. And tonight, it was clear in the way he dressed too.

His hair was the same as always, straight and flat in the front, spiky and stood up in back.

But tonight, instead of dress robes, Harriet didn't know the name of it then, but it certainly looked Japanese. A hakama outfit, she later learned.

Fangirls swooned because he looked absolutely dashing.

Hermione would've been swooning at the cultural reference.

While he was drinking away, she settled for staring at Cedric with a heavy heart.

ϟ

"Sasuke," she called out, and he looked at her with a glare from his tired eyes and redded face. Harry had given up on stopping him from drinking a while ago.

'Well, this night was a bust,' she thought, standing up and brushing off her dress. Across the room, Ron was just as miserable.

She held onto the male's hands and tried pulling him up.

"The last dance is almost here. The champions have to be there," she explained. He scowled slightly but pulled himself up, shifting just slightly, but never removed the constant angry expression from his face.

'He's definitely drunk,' she thought. Was she that bad of a date that he had to drink? She gave a mental scowl of her own. He ruined the night first.

This time, she had to move Sasuke's hands on her waist, because he seemed confused the entire time walking to the middle of the room, even standing there seemed to make him tipsy. She held in a deep sigh and just wished for this night to be over.

They moved through the steps of a waltz again, and she was silently impressed about how well he was holding himself up, considering how much he drank. Sure, there were moments when he didn't know if he was going left or right, but Harry guessed the way he saved himself from the falls had a certain grace in itself. And she was too worried about his intoxication to care about his touches.

He fell forward and she quickly caught him with seeker reflexes with a quiet "Omph!" She had her arms wrapped around him in attempt to carry his weight and he had his arms around her to catch himself.

'Hopefully no one saw that…' she thought, moving her eyes around the ballroom, catching Cedric's once more, and instantly grew sad.

A dark look crossed Sasuke's eyes and he pulled himself up again.

"Tch. So it's Pretty Boy you keep on looking at."

"Huh?" she moved in beat with the dance this time.

"Don't look at other guys when you're date's right here," he demanded, pulling on her cheek.

"Hwey!"

He let go of her cheek and pulled her momentum until she was in his arms. As in, his arms around her, her chest on his. "Merlin, you're so stupid sometimes. How can someone be smart enough to defeat Quirrell and find the Chamber of Secrets, but not know how I fucking felt about you for the last two years," he angrily insisted, words coming out slightly slurred at the end.

Her heart was pounding, more than what Cedric Diggory made her feel, but Merlin, Cedric never got drunk and was currently angrily muttering in her ear about how much he wanted to kiss her.

"Sasuke," she cut him off with red cheeks, stopping him midway on his story about how he was going to steal the sleeping bag next to hers in the third year, when Sirius Black was in the castle, but Naruto beat him to it, "You're drunk," she added next. "I think you should sit down."

And luck was on her side too, the last few measures of the song were being played and she skillfully moved them back to their table.

"I think you need a glass of water and — Hmph!"

His lips were on hers.

And he tasted like the alcohol he consumed.

She pushed him away.

"What-What...What the hell was that?! That was...That was my first kiss, you bastard!" she angrily demanded, her cheeks were burning and she was heating up as well, she could feel it in the way her heart was working overtime.

Sasuke was going to pull her into another one, but she was ready this time, and placed both hands on his chest to distance them. Instead, he continued to whisper in her ear.

"Do you know why every single person that asked you out got date? It's because I set up every single one of those lowlifes that were in my way to you."

"You've definitely had too much to drink…!"

"I saw Diggory ask out Cho, so I didn't have to worry about him, but I had to play matchmaker to every other person that asked you."

"And how did you pull that off?" she asked sarcastically.

"Tch," if possible he leaned even closer, "Don't you know that the Weasley twins sell love potions?"

"You...You drugged them?!" she asked, shocked and a little terrified.

"Only a third, the rest just needed a nudge in the right direction," he easily admitted.

Now she knew he wasn't lying because the Twins were bragging in the common room about how they made a profit from some "lovesick romantic."

They refused to give a name, but at least now she knew.

"Why…?" Her hands were still placed on his chest, and she got all of her answers from the beat of his heart.

Carefully, he placed a hand on her cheek, and tilted her head up to look at him and only him.

He pulled her into another kiss.

There were no fireworks; there wasn't a shocking feeling that screamed, "Yes, this is the one."

But there was something.

Hopping on a broom for a first time.

Holding her wand after it chose her.

The acceptance of this magical world.

It wasn't jumping at her, exhilarating, yes, but she wouldn't describe it like fireworks. It felt natural, like they belonged.

They felt natural.

They _belonged_.

Even though the beat of her heart didn't stop, they split apart for air. But she didn't pant or gasp for more air, because she was already breathless.

Through half-lidded eyes, he was about to pull her into another one, when…

"Next time there's a ball, pluck up the courage to ask me before someone else does…! And not as a last resort!" Hermione's angry voice reached Harry's ears. Harry could recognize a fault between Hermione and Ron from a mile away.

"I, um, I have to go…"

She stood up awkwardly, and Sasuke stared at her with slightly wide eyes. She sent him a small smile before turning around and racing towards her bickering friends.

* * *

My first fanficion on ~

Halfway I realized how close I made Ron and Harry, but that's probably because I unconsciously wanted to combat the Evil!Ron stories. While he's not my favorite, he's still Harry's best friend for a reason.

Besides, I think Ron is the most natural character in the entire series.

And oh god what did I just write?

Sappy romance?

Leave me here to die.


	2. Chapter 2

_**2\. Uniform**_

 **Warning:**

\- Naruto and Harry Potter do not belong to me; this goes for every future chapter.

\- Unedited

* * *

Harriet wore pants. Or rather, she wore the boy's uniform; essentially the same robe and the same button-up, tie and vest, but with trousers.

Snape tried to call her out on it, so did Filch. McGonagall didn't particularly like it, but never said anything about it. Dumbledore wasn't the type to worry about things like that.

But she could care less about what others thought about her. Even though Dudley's clothes dwarfed her figure like a dress, she grew up wearing his old hand-me down pants and boyish shirts. And if she grew up like that, she was going to continue living like that.

Names like "Freak" and "Scarhead," etc. were some of the more unpleasant nicknames that she was given at a young age, but she came up with a conclusion of her own at that age from gathering little snippets of conversation from the groups of girls that flocked the playground.

If Harriet was going to find a way to identify herself by, a position that she would be able to put upon herself, it would be "Tomboy."

And that she was.

Wearing pants had a lot of perks to it, actually. At the age of eleven, she didn't hesitate to swing her legs over the broomstick, and that choice later landed her with a new title: "Youngest Seeker in a Century." She wouldn't have been able to do that with a skirt on.

It made dueling a lot easier in her second year, and chasing Sirius a breeze wearing pants.

That was, until she hit the age of fifteen.

It started out with Dolores Umbridge telling her off for wearing pants when a proper lady should "be dressed in the proper uniform." Like the stubborn Gryffindor she was, she started to argue and that led to another detention with Filch and even an Educational Decree.

"All boys and girls must wear the proper uniform."

Harry bit back all of the swear words she knew and borrowed one of Hermione's skirts.

She didn't like it.

She _didn't_.

Okay, maybe a little.

There something there, a feeling of wearing girly clothes and having her femininity shine through. Like a little girl's wearing her mother's dress and pearls.

It just felt right.

Harriet could be more or less happy, but she didn't mind. Not anymore anyway.

The only person who wasn't happy was…

Sasuke Uchiha.

Sasuke Uchiha didn't like it, not one bit. He noticed, Naruto noticed, Kiba noticed, the entire male student body of Hogwarts knew. Hell, even Gaara noticed.

Sasuke honestly didn't know what was wrong with him, or why he felt this certain way for the past two or three years. At the age of eleven or twelve, he didn't care for much, but for power.

He had done some pretty unspeakable things from the time of his second year and the beginning of fifth; a majority of them were fights with Naruto. But he's finally snapped out of it and worked on making his life a little...lighter, than it was before.

But...He had always had an interest in one Harriet Potter.

I mean, who wasn't? Girl Who Lived, Seeker, Hogwarts Champion, whatever. Now that

Sasuke's finally calmed down, he liked to focus of stuff that used to interest him as a kid, try to get all of that angst out of his system. Stalking/watching Harriet being one of them.

Power being what lured him; interest was what made him stay. He of all people should know about arrogant people, and he was interested in how Harriet wasn't one of them. She was perfectly...ordinary, which made her extraordinary.

Ϟ

"I thought I told you that I wasn't interested," Harry stated firmly, looking up at the 7th year No-name Slytherin that towered over her. He smirked, cornering her against a wall, but she stood tall, and had no trace of fear in her looks.

"Huh? Who is it then?" He practically purrs, reaching a hand up to touch her cheek. She violently jerked her head to flinch away from the touch. Kabuto seemed undisturbed at this reaction and only smirked wider. "The Weasley? Uzumaki? What about Malfoy? Uchiha-?"

At the way she stiffened, he knew that he hit the bulls eye.

"Well then," he continued, all of a sudden creeping his fingers up her skirt. Harry froze up, and her breath hitched. Beside herself, the natural female response when a strange man was touching them was to get be gripped with fear. Behind her back, her shaking fingers tried to reach for her walk holster strapped to her wrist-

" _What the hell do you think you're doing?!"_ A voice roared. All of a sudden, Kabuto was thrown to the floor and Harry could breathe again. Her personal space grew and she gasped at the Uchiha holding the other male by the collar.

"I thought she told you, Yakushi, to back off," it must've been a trick of the light, but his eyes seemed to flash red for a second.

"My, this has become troublesome," Kabuto replied easily for someone who was currently held in such position, "She sort of deserved it, dressed like that."

Sasuke, if possible, seemed to grow even angrier, and placed more pressure on Kabuto's chest. The older male laughed of all things.

"Alright, alright," he recovered easily, shaking his silver hair and standing up with grace. Like...a slippery snake…

Minutes after Kabuto's retreating form disappeared around the corner, they stayed in their positions; Harry pressed against the wall, and Sasuke glaring down the hall.

She wanted to say something, a thank you, something sincere, but they've never had the best relationship.

After a while, when she was about to speak up, he spoke up first, head turned away so she was only able to see the back of his spiky hair.

"Don't listen to what he says," he stated firmly, but she can hear the slight waver in his voice, as if he were embarrassed, "You look nice."

And just like that, Harry all of a sudden found herself looking down the hall at his running form.

Ϟ

She quickly shuffled around her small, dark room. Snapping her trunk open, she began to stuff her necessities inside as to not let Professor Dumbledore wait up for her. She hustled and bustled around the room, prepared to leave this the Dursley's but when her hands gripped a certain fabric, she stopped. Unraveling her hands, her eyes had landed on her black pleated skirt. Her pants were already folded and tucked, but the skirts…

She didn't have a need for them, Umbridge was long gone. She couldn't help but feel just the slightest bit insecure. If she wore a skirt, without really needing to, no doubt she might get teased, especially since she built up the reputation of being a tomboy.

" _You look nice_ ," rang in her head.

Without another thought, she slipped the skirt into the trunk and locked it before she made her way downstairs to Dumbledore.


	3. Chapter 3

_**3\. Amortentia**_

Inspired by this one tumblr post by propercy

* * *

"I smell ramen…" no surprise there, "this kinda flowery smell, and sun dried clothes!" Naruto stated, a large smile on his face as if it were an actual feat smelling amortentia.

"Very good, Naruto!" Slughorn beamed, proud for really, no apparent reason. The slightly plump, old man then moved over to Sasuke and looked at the boy expectantly.

He mentally sighed and stepped up to the cauldron, taking in its mother-of-pearl sheen and white smoke.

Sasuke smelled the open water, clear and refreshing, the type of nature scene that surrounded a freshwater lake, an obvious reference to his childhood. In the Uchiha manor back in Japan, there was the lake that he often played in with his older brother.

"The lake back home…"

Something earthy, sweet, and can only be associated with warm.

"Cinnamon."

The next was floral, fresh. The kind of smell that would either make you run with happiness or lay down and sleep peacefully.

But...he didn't know what it was.

Sasuke hated not knowing.

And it was one of those feelings, one of those memories that you couldn't pin on specifically. A song you don't know the title to, a quote that has no book to belong to. An annoying feeling of unknowingness, which you knew before, but it was lost to you now.

There wasn't a feeling more aggravating than this and Sasuke felt his anger climb because of a small reason like this.

He looked up again, flashed back into reality to see the expectant face of Slughorn and all of his classmates.

He sighed once more, "And I smell...My mother's ointment."

That wasn't true, but it was the closest thing to the smell. Slughorn nodded and smiled even wider when his eyes landed on a new student.

"Ah, Miss Potter! If you may?"

Harry smiled softly and nodded, stepping up as Sasuke stepped back.

"Um...I smell...treacle tart...broomstick polish...and...subtle burning wood? Like... the Gryffindor common room."

Slughorn then continued to go down the front row of the damp and dark classroom to ask the students what they smelled.

"Good!" he suddenly said, standing in front of the room, a large smile on his face as always, snapping Sasuke out of his musings, "Now that you all understand what we'll be aiming for, it's your turn to be making amortentia!"

Confusion ran throughout the class and whispered mutters fell out of classmates' mouths.

"It's a highly dangerous potion!" Slughorn added, "This is for purely educational purposes! If I find out that you students are using this assignment for anything other than learning, you can bet you will be out of Hogwarts before you can say love potion!"

The students began to feel more excited now, growing in volume as they conversed with their friends, especially at the prospect of a partner-assignment.

Harry herself beamed at Ron and Hermione as they each gave each other "the look." The one every best friend gave each other once the words "partner project" fell from a teacher's lips.

"I'll be choosing partners!" he automatically said next, moving along before anyone can protest, "The person on your right will be your partner for this assignment."

Groans filled the class as people took in their fated partner.

But Harry probably had the biggest reason to complain.

Her partner was Sasuke Uchiha.

ϟ

"You're not doing it right!" he growled across the table.

"Me? It's a partner assignment, you git!" she yelled right back. The hustle and bustle of the surrounding classmates didn't drive all the attention towards them. Especially since the simultaneous cries of Naruto and an unknown Slytherin seemed to ring throughout the dungeon.

'Tch…' she flipped through the pages of the the Half-Blood Prince's book, looking for any solution. 'I don't understand...I did everything correctly…'

"I can't smell a single thing," he scowled.

"Damn...Me neither…" she shifted her weight to one foot and continued to sift through the pages. The color was right...the texture and the gas...So what was wrong?

She wrinkled her nose as the overpowering scent of Sasuke's cologne overwhelmed her other senses.

Sasuke scowled as the smell of Harry's shampoo became so strong that it would've given him an asthma attack.

ϟ

What they didn't know was that Sasuke ran out of cologne several weeks ago. Harry wasn't able to take a shower that morning because Lavender was hogging the showers.

ϟ

Harry smelled treacle tart, broomstick polish, and the smell of Sasuke's robes.

Sasuke smelled fresh water, cinnamon, and _Harry's hair_.


	4. Chapter 4

_**4\. Second Task**_

"How long will it last for?" Harriet muttered, holding out a hand as Neville indiscreetly dropped something moist and slimy into her bare palm. It took all of her strength not to cringe at the feeling.

"One hour," Neville replied, quite nervously.

"And you're sure this is going to work?" she urgently asked.

"Well...There's the talk about saltwater and freshwater…-"

"And you're telling me this now?!" she replied indignantly.

"I just wanted...to help," the meek boy said. She sighed and willed her temper to leave her. "You still look tense, Harry," he added unhelpfully. A horn sounded and Harriet sighed, she ran off.

"Thank you!" She yelled after him.

She walked up to the platform and looked at the surrounding champions, then to the crowd of students. Her eyes landed on Ron, but no Hermione. When she sent a confused look toward him, he shrugged and mouthed, 'I don't know.'

Bagman was preparing the before speech, and she shrugged off the school jacket that came along with her swimsuit. Instantly, a gust of cold wind came over the lake and sent painful pinpricks into her thin arms and legs. The clouds were grey and the winds were strong.

'I really don't want to know how cold the water is…' she thought.

"Ready….?...Go!"

She quickly raised her hand up to her mouth to swallow the gillyweed as fast as she could without tasting it. She shuddered. Then she started coughing. Her throat felt like it was closing itself up and she wasn't getting any air. Mad-Eye Moody roughly gave her a slap on the back, then pushed her into the waters while everyone else dove in gracefully.

Under the water, she was gripping at her throat, struggling, floundering. Underwater gave her the refreshing feel, but didn't help her breathing issue. She released a growl.

Then, she felt it.

Gills being activated, rough ridges on her neck, and tiny little pressures between her finger. Webbing, she checked, waving her hands back and forth to feel the water push on the thin skin.

Ϟ

"What's going on down there?" Asked Seamus, his knees on the wooden platform as he tried to look past the murky water.

"I don't know," replied Dean, also looking for their fellow Gryffindor.

"Oh my god," whispered Neville, "I killed Harriet Potter!" He worriedly ran a hand through his hair.

"YEAHHHH!" A splash accompanied it.

Ϟ

'Follow the mermaid song, follow the mermaid song,' she chanted, easily swimming through the seaweed forest. Between the wavering plants, she could see the outline of Fleur. Said woman turned around, a bubble-head charm placed over her mouth like a gas mask for hospital patients. Harriet pursed her lips at how that spell slipped her mind, but continued swimming.

'There!' She thought, swimming into the clearing and taking in the chained students. She quickly swam forward, and stopped in from of them.

Hermione, Cho, an unknown blonde girl, and...Sasuke?

Confusion followed, she thought that who would be stolen would be something dear? If anything, Sasuke was handsome and all, but they've never had any real interaction.

Not positive ones anyway.

Before she could swim any further, a man in a mustard-yellow shirt came into view, quickly flicking his wand and freeing Cho. She stilled, and Cedric looped his arm around Cho's. Before leaving, he turned to Harry and tapped his wand onto his waterproof wristwatch, reminding her that this was a timed assignment. She nodded quickly.

Whipping out her wand, she repeated the spell in her head and pointed it at Hermione-

The mermaids were on her in a second, pointing their tridents at her neck and squealing.

"But she's my friend!" Harriet managed to yell out, even if her voice did come out — well, as if she were underwater. Before the mermaids could say anymore, their eyes suddenly grew wide and they scattered. Harriet turned around, her long, black hair effortlessly flowing with the movement. Then, she turned.

'Shark!' She automatically thought, moving out of the way as fast as the water friction would allow. The shark dangerously grazed her one-piece swimsuit, but then she caught a sight of the bottom half, man. More specifically, Viktor. He quickly bit the rope off Hermione and swam off with her.

Realized that she had no other choice, and that he was the only other person she actually knew, she swam toward Sasuke, placing thin, webbed fingers on his cheeks.

Warm, but it clashed with the cold of the lake water. She quickly untied the rope at his ankle and looped his arm with hers.

She looked up at the surface of the water, but then her eyes landed on the blonde girl, who still floating there. She turned her head back and forth, trying to catch the image of Fleur's blonde hair, so she waited, and waited.

On the lookout for more mermaids, she flicked her wrist and sent another jet of light towards the ropes.

Ϟ

"Agh!" Harriet cried, the moment her head broke the surface of the water. She took deep, greedy gulps of air since the Gillyweed had stopped working about ten minutes before and she was held back by grindylows.

"Ron!" Hermione cried, slapping said male on the arm, "Go help her!"

"Here!" Ron automatically said, holding out an arm and dragging a dripping wet Harriet onto the port.

She was automatically greeted with warm towels, and cheers, but she was also very tired and only managed to send a weary smile at everyone. (Among bits of coughing to clear the water from her lungs.)

Fleur came up to her and quickly pulled her into a hug, thanking Harry for saving her sister, which Harry only nodded to.

"He's not breathing!" Someone cried, and Harriet snapped her head toward the commotion.

Sasuke, propped up by his best friend, Naruto, was surrounded by their classmates and bundled in warm towels, but his head still hung and his eyes were still closed.

"W-what's the spell?!" Someone else added, urgently.

"What?" Harry breathed out, looking at the still unconscious Sasuke, then to Gabrielle, who is looking alive and well, yet Sasuke, who arrived at the same time, wasn't.

"Where are the teachers?!"

Students looked back and forth, but had found all of the adults gone.

"M-Move!" Harry stuttered out, and the crowd split like the Red Sea.

'What the hell am I thinking?' She suddenly thought.

Like muscle memory, she leaned over Sasuke's body, where Naruto suddenly disappeared, and pushed on his chest several times before lowering her lips onto his.

The cold from the swim all of a sudden left her body.

She felt his breathing back again, nanoseconds into the kiss — CPR, goddammit! — Then the smirk from his lips pressed onto hers.

And the strong hand against the back of her neck to keep her in place.

"SAS. KUE. U. CHI. HAAAA!" She roared the second he let her go.

Ϟ

"Albus that was a highly irresponsible thing to do!" McGonagall scolded, picking up her pace to catch up to Dumbledore as they walked down the hallway. "The boy could've died!"

"But the Uchiha boy is still breathing, is he not?"

"If it weren't for Ms. Potter's 'moral fiber,' the boy would've died!" The aging professor continued.

"Minerva," Dumbledore suddenly said.

"What is it?"

"I thought about it, but then I thought, 'Itachi's the better brother anyway.'"

"Sir."

"I worked hard on my ship, and I finally got it."

"Sir."

"Ten points to Gryffindor."

* * *

The super OOC!Dumbledore is inspired by the artist floccinaucinihilipilificationa on tumblr, who totally proves what kind of irresponsible adult/headmaster Dumbledore really was.

Omg, like seriously, look at her art. It's hilarious.

Also, I apologize in advance for the grammatical errors; for some reason my doc keeps on capitalizing the words after the quotation marks and it won't let me change it back. Is this a new rule in the English language that I'm not aware of?


	5. Chapter 5

_**5\. Road to Riko (Growing Strong fic)**_

 _ **Part 1**_

* * *

Warnings:

-Once again, typed on the Ipad

-Unedited

-Naruto, Harry Potter, and Growing Strong (Silencia20) do not belong to me

* * *

It's so bloody suffocating.

 _I can't breathe._

I feel my chest constrict and my throat tightens like I'm in a vacuum. A sudden panic of claustrophobia runs through me.

 _Blimey! You're Jasmine Potter!_

 _It's a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Potter. It is such an honor._

My name is Nara Riko.

 _Conqueror of the Dark Lord, famous at the age of one!_

Fear, respect, admiration, joyadorationexcitementworshippraised. Famous. Celebrity.

'Famous before she can walk and talk! Famous for something she won't even remember!'

My name is Nara Riko, and I once had a simple goal.

 _Jasmine Potter...Our new...celebrity…_

My name is Riko.

Riko.

 _Riko._

"Riko!" Shikamaru snaps in front of me, and I visibly jolt out of my dark thoughts. Looking around, I realized that I must've been in them for a while. The lights in his room are now running off the faintest strip of sunlight and are tinted with blue.

"Oh…" hoping that he would just brush it off and not say anything, I hurriedly scan the shogi board and move a random piece.

"Ri, I checkmated you three moves ago," he stated flatly.

"Oh," I said again, but louder this time, and more embarrassed. My cheeks flush just the slightest bit as I feel Shikamaru's deep gaze burn holes into my head.

"Do you want to-" Nope.

"I'm going to go for a walk," I instantly cut him off, quickly standing up and moving over to the sliding door.

"Tch, wait-"

I continue to ignore his words as I quickly slip on my shoes and break off into a run towards a random direction. Not too far behind, I hear his footsteps follow me. I inwardly curse, quickening my speed and enhancing it with chakra. I lead him in a chase through Konoha, knowing that he won't stop until he finds me.

Over roofs, through alleyways, with the civilians, I keep on running and running until I know for sure that I lost him, even if it was just for a little bit. Hearing his footsteps start to become something like a sound in the back of my mind, I begin to slow, but not stop. Slipping into another alleyway for good measure I-

"Woah!"

"Gah!" two simultaneous voices yell. I feel myself falling back slightly from the impact and immediately balance myself.

"Ri-chan?" Naruto asks.

"Ruto!" I yell, ignoring the slightest sad undertone for now. I grip both of his sleeves with my hands and pull him away.

"H-huh?! Ri-chan, what's going on?!"

"Shika's chasing me, come on!"

❾¾

" _Creak, creak,"_ these loud sounds, though they ring through the silent night, are drowned out by the heavy thinking in my head. I stand tall on one of the chain link swings, feet firmly planted on the rubber and plastic seats. Continuously, I lean my body forward and back, to the beat of the only sound.

I want to tell him, I want to complain and cry about the unfairness of everything. The Wizarding World, Voldemort, the expectations, this _other life._

I stop swinging, and look at Naruto, who sits beside me on the other swing, hunched over, his originally spiky hair seems to droop with his current sadness. He's been quiet this entire time, so I know it's not just bad. It's goddamn heart wrenching.

I can tell him, I can cry, I can scream, I can tell him anything because he's my best friend, and even if he may be at his very bottom right now, Naruto will know just what to say with his infamous Ramen Talk.

But this is one thing I can't talk about. I can't be cruel enough as to complain and whine about Jasmine Potter, the one who defeated one of the most evil Dark Lords of all time as a baby. She, the one who steps a foot back in English soil, will be bombarded with handshakes, praise, smiles, acknowledgement. For something I don't even remember. I can't bitch about that to Naruto, about how unlucky I am when he's made it this far, fifteen years, and has barely made it past the stage where people finally grow a pair and stop glaring at him.

"Oi," a voice breaks in, like thunder when you're not expecting it. We both snap our heads up.

"Sasuke."

"Teme."

He clicks his tongue and stuffs his hands into his pockets; he's wearing civilian clothes. Well, obviously, it's breaking towards midnight by now.

"Didn't the dope tell you that he just got off a mission with the Akatsuki? The Hokage made me look all over town for him. And I saw your brother on the way here too."

I flinch at the first mention of 'brother.' Then I soak in the rest of Sasuke's statement.

"A mission?! The Akatsuki!? Naruto! Why didn't you tell me?!" I turn my whole body towards him, jumping off my swing. Naruto has the nerve to laugh nervously — drowned out by the rattling of chains — and scratched the back of his neck.

"Heh, heh...Sorry, Ri-chan. I didn't want you to worry."

"Well I'm worried now!" I go full on mother-hen mode, fluttering around Naruto while Sasuke smirks smugly over my shoulder.

Then there's a sound, sort of sizzling, and Naruto gasps in surprise, looking at his ankle, where a golden tattoo suddenly appears.

"Hu-"

"Uzumaki Naruto, long time no see." Team 7 whips around, eyes meeting with an orange swirl mask and a black cloak with red clouds.

"Madara Uchiha!" I growl, instantly getting into battle-ready mode. Anger swells inside of me, because of the audacity this man has to put a toe inside of Konoha's walls. My hand flies to my waist, where my sword usually lays, but only met with empty space.

'Shit,' I curse, 'I left it at home.' What kind of ninja am I?

Naruto's already spamming shadow-clones, and running forward with a Rasengan in hand. He charges, arm outstretched, only to pass through Tobi/Madara as if he were a ghost. He falls and crashes into the chain link fence. He lands face down, on his stomach.

"Ruto!" I scream. I'm about to run forward, but a larger hand met my wrist and pulled me back. I gaped up at Sasuke, ready to tell him off, but his eyes are already red, swirling and twisting, as he stares blankly at Madara.

"You haven't changed a bit," the man smoothly comments.

"Chidori!" Sasuke's voice states, deep and powerful. Soon, the chirping of birds are all I can hear and the warm hand leaves my wrist. He runs forward, and before I could even blink, a dust cloud surrounds the entire playground.

At the bottom of the newly-made crater, stood Madara, without a scratch, and Sasuke, face and clothes smeared with dirt.

"Don't leave me out of it!" I roar, building up my magical energy until my hair has the effect of being filled with static. It was the only way, physical attacks wouldn't hurt him, but an accidental spell once did. Even so, I faltered. Relying on my magic would be like losing, giving in. Accepting the fact that, yes, I am the savior of the WW, rely on me for your problems, Minister.

A second is all a good ninja needs.

And I just gave him it.

Naruto and Sasuke find their way to my sides, watching as Madara toss a red, glass orb up in the air. Under all the shine on the glossy surface, I see the comma shapes that make up the Sharingan. It's up in the air, and like a cold wind, blinding white light envelops me in icy cold arms.

"What the hell?!"

❾¾

It was there, then it's gone.

No crashing, no harsh landing. We're standing exactly where we started. It almost makes me a bit worried. Only wizards would leave light and sparkle of that finesse, and Madara was in no way a wizard.

...Or was he?

Oh Merlin.

"What was that?! Where is he?!" Naruto yells beside me, turning and twisting to get a sight of the lollipop-faced man. On my other side, Sasuke scans the area with his Sharingan.

"We have to report to the Hokage," I instantly say. The boys nod and we dash off towards the playground entrance.

As if by coincidence, Team 8 walks by.

Kiba is the first to look up, and I slow down just a bit. It's Kiba, that's for sure, but his facial marks...Unless they really are makeup, I have no idea how that those single fang-like symbols go from filled, to looking like they were erased in horizontal, straight lines. Hinata too...Was that...Makeup? And was she wearing a mesh sports bra?

The nights in Konoha doesn't hold a candle to other countries and villages, but they were nothing to sneeze at.

"Huh? What are you guys doing here?" Kiba says, eyes darting from Sasuke to Naruto.

"We just say Madara!" Naruto says urgently.

To all of our shock, they only give us a confused face.

"Huh?"

"Huh?" Naruto says in return, "Are you guys even listening to us?"

"Yeah, but...Who's this Madara guy? Who are you talking about? Is he a friend of yours or something?" As expected, Naruto throws a tiny, comical tantrum then and there. One full of hair pulling and feet stomping.

"Madara was here! What can't you understand?!"

Sasuke simply glares at everyone and says nothing. Suspects nothing. That was obvious, Naruto — as much as I love him — is too oblivious, and Sasuke isn't close enough to our former classmates to pick out details like the sweetest girl in class all of a sudden dressing like an escort.

All of a sudden, Kiba's shoulder raises and face twists in obvious pain. I raise an eyebrow. Kiba twists his body just enough for us to see his rear end being bit by Akamaru.

'That's gotta hurt,' I think.

"Akamaru?!" Kiba angrily yells, pulling himself from Akamaru's grasp — but the fabric of his pants didn't quite make it — and squats down to his dog's height to glare down at the white hound. "I take care of you, and this is how you treat me?! Stop biting me!"

Akamaru growls and barks, Kiba retaliates by pushing down on the snout.

"I'm getting really tired of your stupid face!"

Akamaru lets out another bark and growl before jumping at his owner. Kiba lets out a small squeak in surprise and skillfully manages to avoid getting mauled by doing a perfect backflip.

We step out of the playground entrance to see Akamaru run down the street and around the corner.

"What's wrong with Akamaru?" I ask.

"You know my dog?" Kiba asks, before taking a good look at me and flushes slightly. It's kind of hard to see at night, "Nah, he's always like that."

'Know my dog?' I wordlessly mouth. Not only are they acting strange, but confused as well? Kiba forgot that I knew Akamaru?

Kiba then slightly balls his fists and raises it up to his face to resemble a cat and its paws.

"Why did I have to be stuck with a dog?" he whines, "I wish I was born a cat tamer!"

Okay, by now the boys have noticed something strange.

"You were born with dog abilities," Shino bluntly states. At least someone is normal.

"Who's she?" Hinata suddenly cuts in, turning to me. I flinch back slightly. Her voice is sharp, confident, overly feminine.

"What do you mean, Hinata?" Naruto asks with a tilt of his head.

"Don't tell me you were on a date with a red-head."

"A date?" it's my turn to my confused, I look to Sasuke first, who hasn't said a thing, then to Naruto.

"Hinata" apparently doesn't get it, because she then leans forward, until her — ahem — chest is almost brushes mine, and I can feel her soft breathing in my ear.

"Come near him again and I'll kill you."

I can hear the throbbing in the veins around her eyes and the pulsing of the blood as Byakugan slowly creeps around her white eyes.

Hinata then jumps back and goes into the Gentle Fist Stance.

"Now tell me!" she demands, "What were you doing with Naruto?!"

"Uhh…" I mindlessly drone. Naruto is quick on the job and jumps in between us, hands on either side to keep the distance.

"Hey, calm down!" he insists.

I don't need defending, even if it is against Hinata, but I can hear Sasuke's hand swiftly find its way to his kunai pouch.

Hinata growls and harshly pulls on Naruto's collar, bringing him close to her and down to her height.

"What the hell were you doing with another girl?!" and her scowl is deep and mean, and nothing I've ever seen on Hinata's face.

"O-Oi…" he turns to me for help, "I-I think we need to get going," he croaks. I nod and pull Sasuke along. Naruto transports into the space next to me and we run off.

"Two boys and one girl alone at night?" Shino unhelpfully adds.

"Stop right there!" Hinata demands, "Don't lie to me! You were on a date!" I hear her heels click along the cement and that just encourages me to run faster.

Fangirls scare the shit out of me.

❾¾

Now that crazy, hormonal teengirls aren't after my blood, I have time to think. While it was obvious that Team 8 is acting the opposite of what they're usually like, it's not enough evidence. Shino, for one thing is normal. But what hit me the most is that they acted as if we've never met.

Did it have to do with Madara?

Or are we just having an off day, and the Uchiha coincidentally came?

Psh, yea right, there's no such thing as coincidence with Riko Luck.

"Hey, Choji~" a voice calls out. My head snaps up. I know that voice from anywhere, "Let's go get some meat, Choji! A portion for one person costs only 500 ryo! So for three, it'll cost three times more!" They slowly come into view, and I expected that warm, calming feeling that I always come across when I see the spiked ponytail and the familiar face.

It's not there.

I know it like I know how Naruto likes ramen and how the sun sets in the west, and rises in the east.

This is not my brother.

Shikamaru certainly looks the same — which was an improvement from our past classmates — but his face rests differently. His face when he's confused is now permanently etched on his face. Not the "I have no idea what's going on, I'll get to the bottom of it," look, but more like the look he gets when I say something incredibly stupid. Or Naruto's expressions, but on Shika's face.

His rhythm of speaking is different too, dumbed down.

Choji, who is supposed to be plump and cuddly like a teddy bear, is now thin like a toothpick.

Ino, who's supposed to be the confident and feminine, is now reclusive, seen from her posture and her clothes.

This just can't be happening. My mind and my body are all protesting, and the self-preserving part of me tells me to just brush it off. Everything's fine. It's just a joke.

But I have to know. I need a reassurance.

I step up, "Ne, Shika, do you want to play shogi later?"

Instead, he gives me a blank look, "Eh? Shogi? What's that?"

Choji steps up as well, defensive and protecting, "How do you know his name?"

"Huh?" I falter back, alarm bells ring in my head, and like any human impulse, I smile, an awkward, strained smile.

"W-what are you talking about?" I stutter uncontrollably, my palms are getting sweaty. I feel Sasuke's hand on the small of my back, as a form of comfort. It's the answer I but suspecting, but even if it's not the Shika I grew up with, and played shogi with; it's not right, and it hurts seeing someone with his face say those things.

"Shikamaru" picks up on Choji's words, "Yeah, how do you know my name?"

"Y-you mean...You don't know who I..am?"

Then he says the inevitable.

"Hmm..Nope, sorry. Am I supposed to? Even I would remember someone with that hair color."

If Hinata's words fazed me, then this was a punch to the gut.

"H-hey," Naruto suddenly speaks up, "You've all been acting strangely!"

"Us?" Ino softly speaks up, "You've been acting strange yourself!"

Naruto's senses my growing anxiety, by the way my body posture seems to close myself off, and he's about to bring up Madara.

"I, um, I'll just go."

"I'll walk you," Sasuke says, stepping up, but I shake my head.

"N-no, I'll be fine."

❾¾

"I thought I said I was going to walk alone, Sasuke," I say, not even bothering to turn around.

"Tch, you think that's going to stop me?" he states. That's the most he's said all night. He walks forward slowly takes a hand out of his pant's pocket and interlaces it with mine.

I certainly don't feel my best, but my heart is lighter at least. I flash him a small smile, and he smirks down at me.

I flush slightly and look down at my shoes.

❾¾

"What are you doing standing in the middle of the street?" a voice cuts through. Naruto turns around and widens his eyes in surprise to see Sasuke stand across the street. Even though it's pretty much similar, the clothes this Sasuke, and the one from two minutes ago were much different.

"Huh? What are you doing here?" Naruto asks, squinting his eyes.

This Sasuke smiles at him, "What's wrong? I can't be in my own village?"

"Uh...It's not strange, but…"

"Then what's the matter, Menma?"

"H-huh?! Menma? Me?" Naruto stares back dumbly.

❾¾

Some serious doppleganger magic happens the moment when Team 10 and Sasuke walks away. Not even five minutes pass when Normal-Clothes Sasuke comes walking back.

"I thought you were walking her back," Naruto points at him accusingly, "Don't tell me you ditched her, Teme!" Sasuke scoffs.

"She said she needed some alone time, Dope!"

Naruto growls, partly because of the name, partly because Ri-chan seemed seriously hurt when Shikamaru said he didn't know her. What was that bastard thinking, playing a trick on Ri like that? Her eyes were sad, and he often saw those eyes in the mirror back when he was a child.

"And you still let her go?!"

Sasuke winces slightly, almost unnoticeable, but then Naruto catches the action of Sasuke rubbing his stomach in slight pain. He opened his mouth to bring up the fact that a girl four inches shorter than Sasuke managed to sucker punch him.

"This is where you were! I've been looking all over for you two!" a slightly accented voice exclaimed.

Of course, the first thing out of Naruto's mouth is, "Eh? Who are you?"

The person stops, and looks at Naruto, "What?"

Sasuke hits Naruto in the back of the head, and the blond immediately gets prepared to yell his lungs out.

"The dope was on a mission and hit his head," Sasuke lies, cutting the blond off, "He can't even remember how to tie his shoes."

The unknown male raises an eyebrow, but dismissed his comment about how everyone wore sandals.

"Oh, okay then. Hokage-sama just wanted me to tell you that we had another mission coming up, but it's too late for that now. We can go to the hot springs with everyone else," he suggests.

Sasuke nodded, playing along, but Naruto was still confused.

He certainly didn't look like a messenger, which is usually a member of the Genin Corps; and Naruto couldn't see the patch anywhere on his clothing. If anything, the male looked a little like Sasuke, but messy black hair and pale skin is where the resemblance ends. While Sasuke is all high cheekbones and thin cheeks, the male's focus is on his jawline, which is slightly more squared off like Kiba's. He had big, almond-shaped eyes under black-framed glasses; but those eyes. Naruto would be an idiot if he didn't recognize those shining, brilliant emerald green eyes.

"Um, what's your name?"

"Oh — Right, I forgot you had a concussion. Well — I'm Nara Hari, I'm a member of Team 7 and your best friend."

* * *

I imagine Harry's voice to be Kenshō Ono's voice. You might know him as the voice actor for Kuroko from _Kuroko no Basuke_ , but he's also Harry in the Japanese dub of _Harry Potter_. And omg.

His voice.

So sexiii (fangirls)


	6. Chapter 6

_**Part 2**_

* * *

 _"It's almost as if...I don't even exist."_

* * *

"I think I'm going crazy, dattebayo," Naruto says solemnly—Well, as solemn as Naruto can get anyway. The summer night is nice and warm, and not in the sticky, humid sort of way either. Team 7 is gathered around the Hokage Monument to talk out our situation. Naruto and I are sitting on the carved stone stairs while Sasuke stands about two steps above, leaning against the metal railing.

"I heard you went to the hot springs. What was that like?" I ask, just as morosely.

"Shikamaru's dumb, Kiba loves cats, Shino hates bugs! Agh!" Naruto's acting like himself again and tugs on his hair in frustration, "It's driving me nuts!"

"And...Hari?" I test the name out on my tongue, my apparent "replacement." I then shake my head after a couple more seconds of mulling over his name, "Harry," I state firmly, pronouncing it correctly.

"Ah, he's a pretty cool guy, but he has nothing on you, Ri-chan!"

I laugh softly, "I'm glad to hear that." I pull my knees closer to my chest.

Naruto follows my eye's line of sight and stares at Konoha's city lights with me, "He's kinda sarcastic, but he's really nice too!" Naruto then growls in frustration.

"I tried to dispel the genjutsu, but nothing's working," Sasuke suddenly speaks up, and we all turn around to look at him.

"You're not a member of Team 7, and my name is Menma!" He rants, "The only one who hasn't changed is the bastard! He's still as arrogant as always. What the hell is going on!?" After his little rant he slumps forward and puts his face into his hands.

"Maybe...When Madara did that light thing…he transported us to another world with his jutsu," I conclude.

"Like what you did when you were younger?" Sasuke asks.

I couldn't help but scoff, "Another dimension? Hardly. Even Madara, for what he's worth, wouldn't be able to put the magic and energy into sending us to another dimension."

'He could've just killed us instead,' I add as an afterthought.

"Then what kind of 'different world?'"

"That part's kind of obvious, isn't it? Kiba loves cats, Shikamaru's dumb...We saw Sasuke in two places at once...I think...It's another dimension where everyone's the opposite."

"Huh?" Naruto asks, "Then...What about you and me?"

I shake my head, "I can't think of an answer for you, Ruto, except for the fact that everyone calls you 'Menma.' If what I think is true then...I'm Hari. That has to be it."

"What?! Really?!"

"Let's organize," I say, "Madara created this place, but the villagers seem to want to do us no harm."

Naruto nods, "We don't know this place, yet the people talk to us without hesitation."

"Everyone's different in some way," Sasuke states.

I nod, "No one knows who I am, no one knows my face or my name...I'm replaced with this...Harry, with my last name and my mother's eyes...It's almost as if...I don't even exist…" By then I've propped my elbows on my legs and laces my fingers together like how I've seen Sasuke do it. I clench my knuckles together until they turn white.

Team 7 seems to simultaneously hold their breath after the deep, dark statement I just said. I quickly berate myself for making the situation so awkward. I even my breathing and is the first to stand up. I brush the nonexistent dirt off my leggings.

"Until who knows when we can't use Naruto's name in public," I quickly say.

"H-Huh? W-Why?!"

"Because people call you 'Menma' here, Dope. We have to do this smoothly," Sasuke pushes himself from the railing and stands up straight.

"Why you…Hey, wait."

"What?" Sasuke sighs.

"If Riko really is a guy in this world, and you guys are like 'this,'" he holds up his pinky, "Doesn't that mean that Sasuke is technically gay?"

' _Smack!_ '

"I'll beat you ten ways into hell, Dope!" I hear when I'm halfway down the stairs.

When Team 7 is out of sight, I can't help but have a scary gleeful smile cross my face.

 _No one knows who I am…_

❾¾

Before I know it, unstoppable giggles are coming out of my mouth. I keep on laughing and laughing, and soon I even question my own sanity.

I selfishly think, this is great, this is perfect. A place where people don't know of my life as an unstable ninja, nor do they know me as the savior of the Wizarding World.

I have a clean slate.

All of these thoughts are thrown out of the window when I make it out of the alleyway.

The stores are beginning to close for the night, but in front of one of the small bakeries, the lights are still bright and white, but it's the last customer that makes my heart seem to stop beating completely.

A little old lady is conversing with said figure, smiling sweetly and exchanging his money with a big bag of goods for the night. He nods, and takes the bag, doing a slight bow to the senior.

Even as the artificial lights envelop his form like a blanket, and seems to silhouette his body—already clad in dark clothes—completely. Ruko can tell who he is.

It's a tall and imposing figure, almost reaching Kakashi-sensei in height. He's wearing a black leather jacket over what seems to be the standard shinobi pants. Even so, he looks utterly normal. With light brown hair and normal clothes, he should be a normal civilian that passes the crowd on a daily basis.

Then, he turns.

And then I know that he's not a regular civilian that I see once and is going to forget forever. His brown hair is slightly longer and messier. He's always been incredibly skinny, but now, under that jacket I can see the makings of a swimmer's build. Baby fat has disappeared into a thin face. Previously wide eyes are now cool and narrow, and it's the eyes that hit me the hardest.

The last time I've seen those wide hazel eyes, they were dead and unseeing.

I don't know how, or what came over me.

But all of a sudden I was running and sobbing.

"Fumio!" A scream rings in my ear, wet eyes blurring over his incredulous and confused face.

" _Fumio_!"

Before I knew it I was standing before him in the middle of the empty street with tears were running down my face. He stares with mouth agape and forehead scrunched. And he looks exceeding uncomfortable. My throat closes up and I have no idea what to say. I just stand there, crying my heart out.

Ninjas aren't supposed to show emotion. But... _Screw that_. I deserve this moment of concord.

"Oi," he speaks up, "I don't know how you know me, but I certainly don't know you." Somehow this lessens my tears just the slightest bit.

"I don't even know your name."

Then he awkwardly sidesteps me and walks away, leaving me alone in the empty night.

The interaction didn't last for more than five minutes.

But it's more than I can ever ask for.

"Eh?! Ri-chan! Is that you?! And are you crying?!" Footsteps pad over to me and all of a sudden Naruto is standing in front of me, hands on my shoulders with a concerned look.

I shake my head, "I'm just...Really _happy_ …"

' _He's safe. He's really safe._ '

I calm down then we find ourselves at a stone bench, already littered with Naruto's favorite drinks and meals from the twenty-four hour convenience store.

"I understand why I can't go home, but how come you aren't?" I ask, wiping away the tears.

"My room isn't even my room anymore! Some old lady's living there!" He scowls, "I can't believe I have nowhere to go in the village…!"

I sigh deeply.

"I kinda want to…" _stay_. Is what I should've said, but I can't bring myself to do it.

Sometime later, Sasuke finds himself to our side, and sits down on the extra space on the bench.

"Huh? Sasuke? What are you doing here?"

I expect him to say something like, "The other Sasuke's staying there, I can't go home." or "Someone else is living there, I can't go searching every house for mine."

Then he unexpectedly states, "I live with that _man_."

We gasp, "Itachi?!"

We can almost hear his skin stretch because of how hard he's clenching his fist.

"In this world he works for the Hokage…" he almost growls, "He didn't kill the clan in this world yet they're still dead..." He's trembling, and I quickly grab his right hand to interlace my fingers with. It slows.

There's nothing I can do but sigh, facts and information about Itachi run through my head before I just let it all go.

Letting out a deeper sigh, I lay my head on Naruto's shoulder.

It looks like I'm in for a night under the stars with my two best guys.

❾¾

I wake up extremely stiff and sore. Somehow, in the middle of the night, Naruto ended up sprawled on Sasuke's and my lap, while Sasuke and I lean on each other for support. I look around, and from what I can see, my early riser reputation precedes me. Sasuke and Naruto are still fast asleep. Swiftfully, I maneuver out of the way without waking either of them and proceed to stretch, popping about every joint possible.

I'd say that I would have about twenty minutes to freshen up; and that's exactly what I do.

❾¾

When I step out of the lady's lounge, a rose is immediately in my face. I look up to the person holding it and it's...Other Sasuke, or Charasuke as we dubbed him last night.

He definitely looks like Sasuke, but... lighter. His permanent smirk is there, but it's teasing and cute.

"Uh…" I can't help but mindlessly drone.

"I can't help but notice you. I don't think I've ever seen you before," he suavely says.

'Shit,' I think, 'Even his voice is softer and smoother.'

"Yeah," I awkwardly say, attempting to sidestep the rose without him noticing. "I'm visiting from the Mist," I quickly lie.

"Oh really? How about I show you around then, Koneko-chan? We can call it a date," he insists, his dark eyes never leaving mine, his smirk never leaving his face.

"I'm busy." Shit, would it be called cheating when your boyfriend and _this_ are technically the same person?

"How about the other day then?" He leans closer to my personal space bubble.

"I'm busy that day too."

He frowns, "Then when aren't you busy?"

Fuck this shit, "On all the days that you're busy," I cheerfully reject. I then quickly move out of the way, but even when this Sasuke's a playboy, he obviously trains too. His hand is grasped around my wrist and then cool fingers are trailing my jawline. His fingers gently curve around my chin and he forces me to look at him.

Sharingan.

"Come on, just one date, Koneko-chan, I'm sure you'll have a great time."

After Itachi and real Sasuke, Playboy's genjutsu or whatever compulsion magic Charasuke has going on has zero effect on me.

"Yeah, um, Not Interested no Jutsu," I poke his forehead with two fingers, and ignoring his surprised face, I shunshin the hell out of there.

* * *

This seemed like a good place to stop, I wanted to stop at the Fumio part, but it didn't fulfill my quota of word count.

And omg I was watching the _Naruto Live Spectacle_ during this. The acting's good and they follow the plot (for the most part) but the fight scenes _so cringeee_ But I'll forgive them because the actors are so cute! They did a better job compared to other live actors, costume wise.

And while I watched that I watched the new fan film called _Severus Snape and the Marauders_ in youtube. I'm only a few minutes in because it is super late over here and I'm dead on my feet trying to finish this, but it totally gave me the headcannon that Sirius and James would be total NaruRiko shippers, while Remus is a SasuRiko shipper. Snape would probably be an ItaRiko shipper. Hahahaha, just ignore me.

This is also unedited, I apologize in advance for my mistakes.


	7. Chapter 7

_**Warning:**_

 _ **-**_ Unedited

 _ **Part 3**_

"Granny is the best person to ask if you're looking for information," Naruto confidently says. He looks back at us to see if Sasuke and I are paying attention before turning to the office door. His hand reaches the doorknob, but we simultaneously pause at the incredulous tone of Tsunade.

"The Lightning Country's tailed beast has been stolen?!" We hear from behind the door. Naruto and I gasp and we burst through the door.

"What was that all about?!" Naruto demands.

"Menma!"

"A tailed beast was stolen?"

"Did something happen to Old Man Bee?"

"Calm down," Tsunade says, "We just heard that a female Jinchuuriki was stolen."

"Tsunade-sama!" The big-busted Shizune says.

I block out the words after that, a sense of calm all of a sudden overcomes me. I turn towards the door. Two unknown chakra signatures are coming closer and closer. They're big and powerful, but also nice and warm. It's so strange, nothing I've ever felt before, but I feel calm. Like I don't have to be on the guard confronting whatever stranger walks through that door.

It's just outside the door…

I see red and yellow.

I gasp, and slap a hand over my mouth.

"We have to use the sealing scroll, the Book of the Crimson Moon, right?" The yellow one says with a nice baritone voice like silk.

Naruto gasps at the voice, and life seems to slow down as he turns.

"Welcome back," Tsunade says warmly. The bow.

"It's nice to be back," the should-be Fourth Hokage says.

"I'm glad to be back," the woman besides him says. She has red hair and a round face that I see in my best friend. I feel Sasuke stiffen beside me.

"Mom...Dad...They're alive…"

The next thing happens in a flash, shoes pound against the hardwood floor of the Hokage's office and all of a sudden the red hair is in waves like Medusa...No...The Nine-Tails. A fist finds itself planted into Naruto's face and his head whips to the side at the force. He falls back and hits his back against the wooden desk.

"Naruto!" I yell, having the urge to do something and not gape at the supposed-to-be dead Fourth Hokage and his wife, the old Jinchuuriki and the person I always get compared to. I quickly move over to Naruto's side and help him up. "Are you ok?" I ask.

"Is that any way to talk to your parents who've just returned from a mission, dattebane!?" Kushina continues to rant. Beside her Sasuke, stiffens and tries to move away from the angry woman.

'That's right...In this world…'

"What do you mean?" Sasuke all of a sudden says, facing Minato.

"Apparently, Jiraiya-sensei witnessed a prophecy on Mount Myouboku," Minato's face is calm and orderly, as a good shinobi would. Sasuke takes up the job of being the one who gets the mission statement since Naruto and I are still so surprised.

"Where is the Book of the Crimson Moon?" Sasuke asks, waiting patiently until Minato finishes speaking.

"It is probably hidden somewhere along our border of Grass Country," it's Tsunade that answers this time. They continue trading mission specifics.

"Minato, Kushina; once Kakashi and Gai-"

"Let me come on that mission too!" Naruto is back on his feet again and slams his hand on the table.

"Dope, calm down!" Sasuke hisses beside him. Naruto's parents — that's going to take a while to get used to, his _parents_ — give each other a look.

"I can't leave this to someone else," Naruto growls at Sasuke, "If we can beat the technique user, we can dispel the technique. Finally, we have a way to get back home!"

Sasuke let's go of Naruto's shoulder and breathes deeply, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Granny!"

"The is no reason for you to go."

Naruto gapes at her.

"I'd like for him to come along as well," Minato breaks in. Team 7 simultaneously turns to look at him.

"Minato!"

"Please do not worry," he easily says, "I will definitely bring back the Book of the Crimson Moon."

"Very well…"

"Thank you very much!" Minato smiles so brightly it's like the sun in itself.

"Send someone to tell the last member of Team 7 to get ready for a mission."

"Last member…? But you already told Kaka-"

"Dope," Sasuke hits the back of his head. The guys of Team 7 look me wearily. The realization hits me.

"Oh...right…" I play with a strand of hair. "I'll just…go."

❾¾

Team 7 walks down one of the narrow streets between houses.

Naruto's glaring at nothing and continues to quicken his pace with every step.

"Naruto…" I start.

He punches the wall, and none of us flinch.

"That damn Madara!" He growls, "He had to go and create those fakes as well…!"

He turns to us.

"I'm sorry, Ri-chan, but I'm going to get the Book of the Crimson Moon, defeat Madara and get the hell out of this world, no matter what!"

"What are you saying sorry for?"

He gives me an unbelieving look, "Huh?! Aren't you angry?! I and the Teme have to go on a mission with that pretender too!"

"Oh...Harry…?" I look up at Naruto, "Don't worry about me, I'll be fine."

"Ri-chan…"

"No really…! I… This isn't my first mission without you guys, and this isn't yours. I'll find something to do."

❾¾

 **Sasuke**

He's at home, drowning in the sound of the annoying clock ticking.

Tch, he thinks, there's a reason why he got rid of that clock first.

He's shoveling food as fast as he can so he can reduce the chances of running into that man and so he can get to Riko faster.

Finished.

He quickly washes the dishes and makes a speedy break for it. He slips on his shoes and grabs his jacket-

"Sasuke," a serene voice says, "Leaving so soon?"

He stiffens, anger boils inside of him. Sasuke tries to calm his anger down with thoughts like, "This isn't that Itachi. It's the same face, same name, same voice, same everything; but it's not him."

His fists clench so hard that little crescent marks will be sticking to his skin for a while.

"I have places to be," he bites out in a forced tone.

Itachi sighs; and walks forward.

"You're always so busy with your girlfriends, Sasuke. And I hardly have any downtown with all of the missions I get."

"And?"

 _Poke._

"Won't you humor your dear older brother and send some quality time with me, Imoto?"

❾¾

 **Riko**

It's the next day, and when I said "I'll find something to do," I certainly didn't mean "gorge myself in food." But that seems to be what I'm currently doing.

They've already left for the mission several minutes ago, but I didn't have it in me to see them off. There was no point anyway.

I sigh deeply, and blow an annoying strand of red hair out of my face. I bend down slightly to look at all the pastries inside the bakery display. My eyes scan for the best looking one.

"I suggest that one," a finger taps the glass over my shoulder. My breath hitches and I turn around slowly.

"Fumio…!"

"Tch," he stuffs his hands into his pockets, "It's called treacle tart. They recently sent it over from the Lightning Country caravan or something." I hide the fact that I was gaping by analyzing the pastry a bit too well.

It's round and pie-shaped. It's a bit thin, rising no bigger than 3 centimeters. The crust is a pale brown while the filling is shiny gold syrup.

I nod to myself and reach for my wallet, when-

"I'll take two," Fumio cuts in, holding up two fingers to the old lady at the counter. She nods and smiles, preparing a box.

"What?" I whisper when he passes me the box.

"Tch, my sister kept on telling me off for leaving a girl crying in the middle of the street. So I'm trying to make it up to you, okay?" He sharply says. I nod unconsciously and take the box from his hands.

"Would you like to go on a date with me?" He asks suddenly. My breath hitches when I look at his red face.

❾¾

'Don't do it, Riko,' I tell myself, 'It's a pity date. The only reason you would aagree is because he's dead! He died, and you're guilty. It's all fake, some twisted world that Madara created. This is a selfish thing to do.'

"...I'd love to."

I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding when we pass the bakery with the heart-shaped cakes. He seems to have no intention of stopping here either. So far, it's going well.

We stop at a bright cafe with tan colored walls with white accents. The bright sun shines directly over the windows giving it a nice glow. He settles for strawberry shortcake while I open up my treacle tart.

I hesitantly take one bite and…

I think I'm in love.

I hum in happiness and he sends a small smile at me.

I smirk back at him, "Strawberry shortcake?"

"Hmph...It's my favorite."

'Strawberry shortcake is his favorite…? The more you know…'

"I've been meaning to ask you...How do you know me?"

"Oh…" I look away and my mood dims, "It seems to be a huge coincidence, but I know another Fumio that looks a lot like you."

He raises an eyebrow at the incredibly inconceivable story and scans my body for any tell-tale signs of lies. He finds none.

"That sounds completely…"

"Unbelievable, I know," I sigh and take another bite out of my new favorite food.

"Was he someone important to you?" Fumio asks after an awkward silence.

I pause and shake my head, "He was...Annoying, loud, and stupid...But...he died for me."

"...I see…Then...What you're doing is incredibly selfish."

It's like a gong went off in my head. Blood rings in my ear before I bow my head, "I know."

"But I'm not your Fumio, so I guess, everything's fine," he continues.

"You shouldn't sink to this level of pity and guilt. If he gave his life for you, I'm sure he would've expected nothing in return." I sit there, aghast as I listen to these words coming out of his mouth.

"If I were him…" he hums and thinks for a while, "I'd say something like 'I don't want you to hold onto this heaviness…"

My breath hitches and I still.

"Forgive me for hurting you; I've held you back from your true happiness for so long."

My chest tightens and my eyes blur from the water.

"And...I'm so happy that you're alive and well."

Tears begin to streaming down my face and I duck my head under my red hair.

I'm so tired of running away.

The prophecy, the other life, my old parents, my teammates, Sirius, the war.

But it's all okay now.

I'm not scared of losing anymore.

Losing to a strong opponent is the first step to beating one.

❾¾

A large explosion happens over the Hokage tower and Team 7 quickly stops their deep thoughts to rush into the fray. The surrounding area is covered in a light fog of dust. Broken buildings and rubble cover the floor completely. The night dyes everything a deep green.

The kunai we've thrown stops just inches away from the Masked Man's back.

"That's the Masked Man?" Sasuke yells.

"It's not Madara!"

"He's going to steal the scroll!"

I run forward.

"Riko-Rasengan!" I yell, my hands charging with knotted water. I run and run, but the Masked Man doesn't even seem fazed. I jump in the air, closer, closer, but I'm intercepted from the side.

I'm blasted away and my right side burns and stings like hell.

"Huh?!" In the midst of my pain, I try to find the man, but I find none.

Sasuke and Naruto quickly move into the fight.

"Where's Madara?!" Sasuke demands.

"Madara?" The deep voice replies. "I know him, he's a helpful man, but from the way you're speaking, you don't seem like allies."

Naruto and Sasuke are split apart by upcoming monsters with similar masks. I lift myself up on my feel and hold a hand to my throbbing stomach. Through all of the pain, I break into a run.

"I'll make you talk! Water Style-!"

"Don't even try; you are no match for me."

"Even so...I have to beat Madara...I'm sick and tired of this fake world…! Fumio and my nonexistent fame. Ruto's parents and Itachi! It's too damn perfect! This isn't real! A real hero, a real Gryffindor and a real ninja would do what is right, not what is easy! The people, the village... I will never turn my back on people who need me! Water Style: Water Dragon!"

As expected, he manages to dodge, but he moves slightly closer to me, and that's all I need. We break out into taijutsu, and become a flurry of kicks and punches.

He's strong and skilled, each punch feels like a new dark bruise; but I'm fast and more agile. I move closer, and closer, with my arms outstretched. One more inch and I can pluck that stupid mask off his face.

But then ribbons wrap around her stomach and whip around up to my neck. It holds me up and I dangle helplessly.

"Ri-chan!"

"Yasumin!"

"Run away, Menma!"

Other than that, muffled sounds ring into my ear as the fabric blocks the vibrations. The chirping of birds are familiar, and the shaking of monsters dropping like flies come in minute intervals.

Another "Chidori!" rings in my ear before I black out.

❾¾

"Where's Ri-chan?!" Naruto asks automatically. Sasuke groans beside him and wakes up as well.

"The scroll is safe," Minato says, "Let's regroup and wait for a chance to strike back!"

"What are you talking about?!" Naruto says, "We don't have time for that! We have to save her right away!"

"That's impossible, Menma!" He looks down, "We're not that skilled." Minato looks up and looks his son right in the eye, "I cannot give up my life for a stranger."

"No way…"

"We're ninja, but we're also human. What if you were hurt, Menma?!"

"A real hero does what's right, not what is easy," Naruto finishes, quoting Riko after he finishes telling his parents the truth.

"Please, don't go!" Kushina cries, grabbing his arm. He smiles sadly and gently pushes it away.

"I'll be leaving now."

"Menma!" She cries. He grabs the jacket that was strew in the middle of the rubble and puts it on. Red flames and the words Fourth Hokage flow effortlessly and dramatically.

He turns around to give his parents a big smile.

"I'm the son of two heroes, after all! Let's go, Sasuke!"

❾¾

"Madara! I'll defeat you and go back to the real world!" Naruto yells, my eyes widen.

"Ruto! Sasuke!"

I let out a shudder when Madara phases through me like a cold ghost.

"Unfortunately, I'm not your opponent," Madara answers.

The Masked Man is all of a sudden behind Naruto, and slashes the air with a kunai. Naruto dodges and flips into the river under the bridge.

Sasuke jumps out of Madara's way and uses his sword to cut me free.

I take out my kunai, but Sasuke harshly shoves me out of the way.

"Go help Naruto! I'll take care of Madara!"

I pause and nod, jumping over the bridge and effortlessly land on the surface of the water.

They jump at one another, but for a split second I see Naruto falter.

"No!" He kicks Naruto off to the side with that split second, but before he can move out of the way, I'm already swinging my leg in a high kick, and he doesn't have a chance to dodge.

A hand all a sudden wraps around my ankle and swings me before effortlessly throwing me to the side. I skid across the water until I manage to get back on my feet.

"What was that?!"

"Thank you," the Masked Man says. I grow more confused by the second. The Masked Man doesn't seem like someone who thanks another.

"No problem, you know I'll always have your back." The man who threw me says, in a cat-like pose with his head down. He slowly raises his head and I look into my emerald-green eyes.

"Hari?!"

"Harry!" I yell.

"Why?!" Naruto yells, "You're supposed to be my teammate!"

"What kind of best friend would I be if I wasn't able to tell the difference between a fake?" He states strongly.

"With that said, let's settle this the right way. Nine Mask Awakening." The Masked Man starts by listing off nonsense, and seals start to appear in the sky. They glow and monsters walk through it.

"I'll grind you into dust!" The Masked Man says.

"There's too many!"

"Naruto!" I yell. Chakra strings all of a sudden wrap around Naruto and carry him to safety.

"The Akatsuki!" I look up to see them looking ridiculously cool as they stand on the gate.

"Don't attack!" Sasuke yells, and we look up. He looks to be in a losing fight with Madara.

"My little brother is right, we're here on the Hokage's orders," Itachi finishes for him.

"Basically we're here to give you backup while you fight the Masked guy," Deidara loudly calls down to Naruto. We stare up at them incredulously. The Akatsuki jump into action.

"You're fighting me!" A voice suddenly rings. A flash of something silver is seen at the corner of my eye and I quickly pull out a kunai to block it.

The two metals rattle against each other. Harry and I are almost equal in strength, but he's slightly stronger. He's pushing down on my kunai and I can't hold up against the weight.

I take the time to look at the sword.

It had a straight blade made out of pure silver, and while Harry's hands cover the hilt, I see it shine with large rubies.

I read the engraving.

"The Sword of Gryffindor!" I gasp, as it cuts right through my kunai and shatters it. I'm thrown back by the force. A distance away, I throw weapon after weapon and the Sword breaks every single one of them.

"Shit," I curse. How the hell am I going to go against a magical sword? Wait. I look at Sasuke and Itachi. If Riko never existed…

I call upon all of my magic.

"Accio!" I yell, the magic ruffles my clothes and whips at my hair. "Shingi To Giri!" Harry seems shocked at this. "Accio!" I call, "Accio!"

Nothing happens after a while, and then we hear a whistle. Harry gasps and jumps out of the way, he lands on top of one of those flying monsters that look like a skeletal snake. The sword is flying our way at impressive speeds.

With effort, I snatch Shingi To Giri out of the air and quickly unsheathe it.

The fight continues as I jump and land on top of the flying monster and our blades meet.

The metals rattle against one another, and we simultaneously jump a distance away.

"Water Style: Raging Waves!"

"Expelliarmus!" The two attacks clash in the middle to create a mini explosion.

"Tch, Fireball Jutsu!"

'Harry's element is fire?'

"Water Wall!" I quickly deflect. We jump out of the way before running at each other again.

"Water Dragon Jutsu!"

Harry cuts through it and continues running at me.

'He cut through my jutsu?!'

"Protego!" My back slams against the cliff wall when his sword meets my shield. The force is so strong it breaks through the cliff and sends me falling towards the river. Harry springs against the wall with bent knees and follows my movements.

"There's no need for two Potters!" Harry yells, holding the sword above his head. He brings it down. I flip mid-air and force my sword against his.

We land on the river surface and run at each other again, our blades in a standstill.

"Jasmine!" He roars.

"Harry!"

A large explosion heats up the area.

"Naruto!" I gasp, looking up at the destroyed building.

"Menma!"

"Menma?!" I yell, "Are you telling me…?"

He nods, "Our teams are even."

"Even? I don't think so. It ends here," I breathe heavily, still trying to get over the last attack. I unseal Orochimaru's Cursed Seal. Flame-like patterns dance across my pale skin and dragon wings rip the fabric across my back.

"Oh? That's my line," Harry puts two fingers on his lightning-bolt scar and closes his eyes. A strange pulse happens across my chest.

"What's this strange feeling…?"

The air around Harry moves downward, as if gravity shifted. It whips at the wind and thickens the air.

He opens his eyes once more and emerald green is switched out with blood red.

"Voldemort…?" I breathe.

"I don't think I need to explain then," Harry says, but his voice is distorted. Like two people were speaking at once into the same microphone.

I nod, "Come at me!"

We charge at each other and meet in the middle.

The end result is total destruction. Our side of the cliff is leveled and water from the river pools into the new crater we've made.

We're standing, starting each other down; until both of our knees give away at the same time.

My wings are torn and I force the seal to recede.

He only has one eye open but it fades from red to green.

"Tch, we won't be able to handle any more of this."

"And neither of us have any more chakra...But I'm not completely out of options."

From there it's a taijutsu battle. I swing my fists at him and pivot my leg into a high kick right into his stomach.

"Why you…!" He punches me across the cheek. My head snaps to the side from the force. Without leaving an opening, he pushes me down and places a hand on my neck. I grab his sleeves, kick his legs out from under him and throw him off.

We get up again and go head-to-head. I lift a knee up to uppercut him.

"When two ninjas' fists meet, they can tell each other's fears and weaknesses. And it's true. We even share the same heart for the same people!" I nod.

"It's admirable to help your friend, your Ruto against mine, but this is where it ends. I'm glad to have met fists with you!" I look up and Sasuke's and my eyes meet for a split second.

I hold out my hands, "Stupefy!"

Harry smiles, "Fire Dragon Jutsu!"

Moments before our attacks meet I join my hands together into a seal.

"Replacement Jutsu!"

I phase away and Sasuke and I switch places.

"Chidori!"

"Stupify!"

The sound of birds and a sound that can only be described as pure magic ring in my ears.

Then, something shatters.

❾¾

"Hey, Fumio," I say, standing over the KIA stone. A small smile finds its way to my lips.

"I just, uhh...Wanted to thank you and say," I take a deep breath, "I'm glad to be alive," I smile wider, maybe it's a little sad, but I don't care.

"I'm so, so happy to be alive."

"Oh! And I got you for favorite, strawberry shortcake." I lay the cake box down on the memorial stone.

I slowly walk towards the Nara compound, and the moment I step one foot in, my body freezes. An arm slings around my neck and knuckles dig themselves into my scalp.

"You stupid girl!"

"Ouch!"

"Tch, do you realize how late it is, you troublesome girl?!" Shikamaru yells at me.

I sigh, and tackle him into a hug.

"I missed you."

"Huh?" I let go and smile. He clicks his tongue in annoyance.

"C'mon, there's people who want to see you."

'Want to see me?' I mouth, but follow him anyway.

"We're home-"

I gasp as a large, shaggy, black dog almost as tall as me runs forward and tackles me. I laugh and wrap my arms around the figure.

"Sirius!"

* * *

I'd have to say that the whole Sirius thing came out of nowhere, but I love the interactions between Sirius and Harry so it was a must.

I originally planned to update a lot earlier, but con season and testing season is coming up, so I spent the last two weeks sewing and painting.

The fight was inspired by Erza vs Erza in Fairy Tail, which I do not own. I also didn't plan out a true winner for Harry and Riko's fight. They're the same person, and probably trained for the same amount, but males have it easier when it comes to physical strength, but the females fight back with agility and pain tolerance, so I made Sasuke be the tie breaker. Harry was also really hard to write. I accidentally made him come off as arrogant? I didn't know how to deal with a fighter Harry that had Riko's upbringing. All of the Harry stories I'm currently reading have him as a female, or a war veteran, a child, or weak when coming across ninja.

And headcannon that Fumio's favorite food would be strawberry shortcake because he seems to be a person that would admire sweet things like that.

Also, thank you for your reviews, they're what keep me going. I've been receiving a lot of questions and I promise I'll answer them in the next chapter. Usually when I write it's either late at night, or I'm swamped with hw. Currently it's the latter.


	8. Chapter 8

_**Notes:**_

-Unedited

-Glaring plotholes

-Inspired by the ep "Road to Sakura"

* * *

 _ **Omake/Standalone?: Road to Hari (Growing Strong fic)**_

"Ach!" a voice cried throughout the forest, scattering the nearby birds. "I can't believe you!" As an undertone, the sound of sandals scraping against the gravel and dirt rang in their ears too.

"Me?! What did I do, InoPig?!"

"Gate Four you said, Gate Four!" Ino complained, she pointed beyond the trees, bushes and the undergrowth to reveal flashes of random color. These flashes of color moved and they took form of several unnamed Chuunin as the eyes took in the bigger picture. The Chuunin were chatting and laughing in front of the gates. With a huff, Ino threw her arm down and crosses them, "There's already people at Gate Four!"

Sakura exhales through her nose like an angry bull for a second. Ino gave a 'hmph!' and swiftly turned around, whipping her long ponytail as she did so and walked off. Sakura angrily stomped after her. She opened her mouth and pointed her finger to give Ino a piece of her mind.

They were cut off when a large gust of wind almost blew through their hair and dried out their eyes. Soon after, a blinding white light seemed to burst from the sky.

"Huh?" The girls lifted their hands up to shield their eyes from the brightness and squinted. The light died off soon after.

"What was that lightning?" Ino asked, slowly lowering her arm. The girls looked around the cloudless, blue sky. Eyes darted from one corner to another at a quick speed as they tried to deduce what was the origin.

Ino squinted some more when her eyes picked up a tiny moving object falling from the sky. her eyes focused and she picked up the sight of a black-haired figure.

"Oh my god...That's a person!" she cried. Sakura snapped her head to Ino, then to where Ino was pointing and gasped as well.

Roaring wind rushed through his ears and pulled on his messy black hair.

He gasped almost as if the air was knocked out of him, and bright green eyes blinked open.

After he realized what was happening, he screamed.

Trees rustled loudly and leaves shook as he fell through them. Thuds and crashes could be heard as his body collided with multiple branches and trunks.

With a last loud grunt, he finally touched the ground. Multiple scratches lined his wrists, cheeks and ankles and random branches and leaves were caught in his bird-nest of a hairdo. Green streaks and cuts made a morbid pattern on his clothes. He groaned again.

When his eyelids grew heavy and his breathing even out again, two blurry figures appeared in his vision. One pink and one blonde.

"Are you alright?!"

"Are you in any pain, sir?"

Eyelids raised and fell again.

"Hold on! We'll get you some help!"

"Sir!"

This time, when they fell, they didn't raise again.

Darkness overcame him.

❾¾

"It's the truth, Hokage-sama!" Ino cried waving her arms. The Hokage stood in front of her, unimpressed.

Sakura nodded, "It's true, Shishou!" she said urgently, "We were planning on guarding the gate like you asked, but then it was like he fell out of the sky!"

"What do you think, Shishou?" Shizune asked softly, casting a worried glance at the figure wrapped in hospital sheets, then turning her eyes up to her master and teacher. "Do you think it might have been a transportation jutsu gone wrong?"

Tsunade didn't answer, and didn't focus her intention to any of them. Instead she concentrated on her patient, and ran a glowing, green hand over the body for a diagnostic jutsu.

Then a soft grunt came from the body. The raven-haired male twisted and turned slowly and slightly. Tsunade stepped back almost cautiously. If there was something that you just didn't do, it was be near a waking ninja when he's at his most vulnerable. While this teen may or may not be a shinobi, it was always nice to be on the safe side. The females gasped as they focused their attention to the male on the bed. He let out another grunt, and clenched his eyes closed and furrowed his eyebrows. After he somewhat adjusted to the lights, he carefully opened his eyes.

Sakura and Ino gasped at the sight of one of the most beautiful green eyes they've ever seen. It was more than the trees in the forest or the green of the undergrowth.

They shined and glittered like emeralds. The eyes look the lights from the world and made their own sun and stars.

Meanwhile, Tsunade furrowed her eyes and frowned deeply. She knew another troublesome brat that had nearly identical eyes.

She sighed, and shook off the troublesome thought to think about later. This entire situation was giving her headache.

"Hey Gaki," she asked, "do you feel any pain?" She leaned forward and continued to check for injuries.

He shyly shook his head and looked confused for a second as his eyes slowly swept the room, "Where...Erm...Where am I?"

"You don't remember?" asked Tsunade, shocked.

"Amnesia?" Shizune asked Tsunade next, hugging Tonton closer to her chest and squeezing the poor pig.

"There's no sign of broken bones, your head's fine, organs okay..." Tsunade listed. She took her hand off his forehead and he looked up at her like a confused child. She stood up straight and put her hands on her hips. "Can you remember your name?"

"...Hari...Just Hari," he stated smoothly after a short moment of silence.

"Hm, considering the height that you fell from, you're tough for a gaki," Tsunade stated, "Hari, you're free to go."

"What?!" Ino yelled, "Tsunade you can't just let him go! Where will he go?!" Ino huffed and put her hands on her waist, "He has amnesia!"

"What do you want me to do?" Tsunade crossed her arms, "He's physically fine, so the hospital would have to clear him from the building anyway. The amnesia is probably temporary." She hummed for a second and put a hand to her chin. Then she turned and put her piercing glare on Hari, who suddenly grew nervous from such a stare. "It's no good if we have an unknown person roaming Konoha…" she noted, almost to herself.

"Oh!" Ino raised her hand, surprising Sakura, "I'll take him in!"

"Eh?" exclaimed Sakura, "Really?!" Ino nodded.

"That way dad can watch over him, and I can too!"

"Hmph," Tsunade turned, and began to walk out of the room, "Very well."

❾¾

Hari walked down the streets of Konoha with the two girls several steps behind him. His head turned from side to side with a sort of sereine curiosity, and his eyes darted from left and right. His eyes grew wide or furrowed with predictable reactions and sometimes an "Ah" slipped from his mouth.

"He really doesn't remember a thing?" Ino whispered to Sakura. She shrugged.

"Seems like it," she answered, "I'll keep an eye on him too." She stated, nodding her head, she was a medic after all.

"Hey…" Ino added next.

"What is it?" Sakura asked, tilting her head towards her former best friend.

"Doesn't he...Kinda look like Sasuke?"

"Sasuke?" Sakura gasped.

"I mean look at him!" Ino urged, gesturing her arms towards the oblivious Hari who was looking at some books through the shop window.

"Well…" Sakura put a hand to her chin.

"C'mon! He kinda does!" Ino pressed. Sakura stared at the male for a little while longer.

"Hmm…" Her mind slowly created a transparent image of Sasuke that phased through Hari until the two images merged. She gasped, and pounded her fist into her palm, "I guess you're right!"

"I knew it!" Ino laughed. She suddenly drew closer, and smirked like a sly fox. She put her hand up to block the sound waves from escaping as she whispered. "You know...He's kinda cute too…"

A light dusting of pink appeared on Sakura's cheek, "I-I guess."

"Hm," Ino shrugged playfully, then smiled, "I would go after him too, but..He kinda reminds me of someone...Someone familiar, but I can't remember it!" She snapped her fingers, trying to dig through her brain and locate who it was. She growled in annoyance, "Ah! This is pissing me off!"

"Ino-san, Sakura-san, is something wrong?" Hari asked worriedly, looking at them.

"Nothing!" the two girls chimed.

❾¾

"C'mon! Dad's a bit tall, so he didn't fit you, but you seem to be about Shikamaru's size. I'm sure you'll find something."

Hari laughed nervously, and tried to wave his arms to deter the stubborn girl, "No really, Ino-san, it's fine! You've already done so much for me!"

"What did I tell you?" she huffed angrily, "It's either Ino, or Ino-chan!" She put a hand on her hips and leaned toward him with a finger in the air.

"Ino," he corrected quickly. He wasn't sure of what to make of her changing personality.

"And it's fine! Shikamaru's lazy, but he won't mind! Besides, you can't go keep on walking around in those rags!" she pointed at his clothes. He looked down at them, where grass streaks, rips, tears and dirt marred every corner. Before he could continue to examine his clothes, Ino grabbed his arm and roughly yanked him to the door of a traditional home.

She loudly pounded on the door, "Shikamaru! Shikamaru! Open up! I know you're home!" A loud muffled groan echoed from behind the door.

"What a drag!" the door slid open to reveal a pineapple-haired teen his age, "What do you want?"

"Shikamaru! Is that how you greet me?!" Ino growled, pulling on the male's ear, "Why I otta…! Hmph!" she let go and twirled around, crossing her arms and closing her eyes.

He irritably rubbed his reddening ear, "Oi," he turned his dark eyes towards her, "You haven't seen Riko, have you?"

"Riko?" Ino looked surprised for a second, but then turned her face into one of concentration, "Uh...Nope, sorry. Is she on a mission?"

He sighed loudly again, "First Riko runs off, then you're yelling about something." He sighed even louder if it were possible, "Women are so troublesome."

"What was that?!" Ino yelled, shaking her fist at him, she gritted her teeth and suddenly shoved Hari into Shikamaru.

"Woah!" the two boys cried.

"Hari, this is my annoying teammate Shikamaru. Shikamaru, this is Hari. I need you to give him some of your clothes."

"Hah?" the teen drawled.

"Look, Sakura and I were on parole when he fell out of the sky. Tsunade says he has amnesia, and he's not a native to Konoha. But look at the state of his clothes!" Ino gestured. Shikamaru narrowed his eyes onto the newcomer, his mind moving a mile a minute. Hari felt unnerved.

He bowed, "It's nice to meet you, Shikamaru-san."

"What's going on out here?" Yoshino demanded, her brunette head popping from around the corner.

"Hi, Yoshino-san!" Ino smiled brightly and waved.

"Ah, Ino-chan! It's so good to see you! You don't come around as nearly as much!" Yoshino said, then she turned her eyes to the figure beside her, "Oh? Who's this handsome young man?" she gushed.

Ino smiled even brighter and retold the story to Yoshino, with added tears and dramatic effect. Yoshino angrily turned towards her only son.

"Shikamaru! Were you seriously thinking about denying this poor young man some of your clothes?!" she pointed a finger at him, "God knows that you have so many pairs that you don't even bother to wear; what was the point of buying them all?! I'm sure you have some spares!"

"Alright!" Shikamaru groused, tilting his head back and let out another groan before he left for his room.

"That boy I swear," Yoshino tutted under her breath as they watched her son leave. Hari looked at the path Shikamaru took wearily. "Where are my manners?" Yoshino suddenly said, ushering them in, with a great flourish, "Come in, come in! Make yourself at home! What tea would you like?"

"Anything's fine, Yoshino-san!" Ino easily answered as she pulled Hari towards the low table and forced him to sit.

"How about some jasmine then? Riko bought a whole bunch from the store the other day," a fond smile fell on her lips as she spoke about her daughter, "That girl, I swear…" Yoshino turned and made her way to the kitchen.

❾¾

By the time Yoshino had returned from the kitchen, Shikamaru still wasn't back. The woman was nice and made pleasant talk about his current amnesia, which he easily replied to.

Currently, Yoshino and Ino were talking up a storm about mundane female things and Hari took it upon himself to slowly examine the warm and cosy home.

It was mostly brown wooden walls with white and cream vases and pieces of art carefully scattered around the room. Overall, the whole place seemed to be very inviting and was very well lived in.

Then he felt the common feeling of Nature's Call.

"Excuse me," he softly spoke up. The two women stopped their chattering to give him their full, undivided attention, "May I use the bathroom?"

"Ah! Of course! It's just down the hall dear!" Yoshino quickly replied with a smile. He gave a small smile of his own and nodded. He carefully placed the lukewarm teacup on the lowered table and unfolded his legs when he stood up.

When he turned the corner, he heard Yoshino say something like, "He's so polite, why can't my son take his example?" to Ino in a slight teasing tone.

When he reached the corner, there were about three doors on each side, and he suddenly grew very confused. He turned his head to look back at where the chattering women were, but felt like he would just be bothering them if he went back to ask for clearer instructions.

Then he saw the first door on the right side, slightly ajar to reveal a sink, and he felt relief flow through his body at the fact that he wouldn't have to ask for directions or go peeping through every door like a creeper.

But when he made his way there, he abruptly stopped, as he felt something tingling in the back of his mind or a pulsing in his stomach. He passed it off as his urgency to go to the bathroom, and prepared to continue walking.

Only to stop again.

What was it? He asked himself this. He stared at the wooden door directly to his left with curiosity that grew more and more as the seconds ticked by. He actually felt a bit tense and nervous.

What was behind this door that was so important?

Usually his instinct was never wrong.

He lifted his hand and lowered it again. Oh, but this was wrong. The Nara family was so nice to him, and it would be completely insulting and rude if he were to snoop through their stuff.

But...He was Harry Potter.

And from what we know from Harry Potter was that he was always poking his nose into stuff that he was curious in.

He sucked in a breath and quickly opened the door.

He slowly let go of that breath as he felt slight relief or disappointment to find out that it was a normal room.

It was a simple, regular room with a built-in closet, a full bed pushed into the upper right corner, and a desk beside that, pushed up against the wall under the window. A shelf and a wardrobe sat on the right side of the room. It was obviously a well-worn room, even if it was impeccably clean, from the way hair ties lie on the desk and a calligraphy scroll was still drying.

Hari slowly walked forward, his head turned side to side as he took in the room.

He then stopped at the desk, and tenderly picked up one of the frames.

When he saw the image his green eyes widened under their black-frame glasses and he almost dropped the picture frame.

If it weren't for that that he couldn't move.

"What do you think you're doing in my sister's room?"

With difficulty, Hari managed to turn around to look at Shikamaru lazily leaning against the door frame with his hands in his pockets. The shadow that was attaching his to Shikamaru's suddenly drew back under the Nara's feet. But his eyes were as sharp as knives and his muscles were tensed up and ready to give a beating if the words "panty drawer" were even whispered from the other male's mouth. With the shadows pooling at his feet and filled with whipping tendrils, the Nara was the picture definition of terrifying.

"I..Erm…" Hari struggled to explain. Weak killing intent leaked into the room and he suddenly found it hard to breathe; as if lead bricks were sitting in his lungs. Not knowing what else to do, he just gestured helplessly to the photo frame of a young redhead girl surrounded by an older, silver-haired male, a scowling ravenette and a laughing blond.

"I...I just thought that she looks just like how my mom used to."

* * *

Because if male Harry takes after James. Female Harry has to take after Lily. This was supposed to be a small chapter that I wrote, and was supposed to connect to the "Road to Riko"chapters, but then I realized that it was way too long.

I'm trying to get into the _Naruto_ mood. I'll be cosplaying Deidara and my best friend will be Sasori tomorrow!o(*^▽^*)o


End file.
